To determine the accuracy of ultrasound in the assessment of proximal fallopian tube positioning of the Essure® microinsert coil 3 months after postprocedure.
Design
Prospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).
Setting
Reproductive-age women in a tertiary care hospital.
Patient(s)
Reproductive-age women presenting with a request for permanent contraception.
Intervention(s)
Hysteroscopic sterilization with the Essure® microinsert coil and conventional or volume-contrast three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound imaging 3 months after the procedure.
Main Outcome Measure(s)
Coil position on ultrasound.
Result(s)
Forty-eight of the 50 patients had successful placement of the Essure® coils, and three patients required a second attempt on one tube. Conventional or volume-contrast (3D) ultrasound showed proper positioning of the coils within the proximal fallopian tube in 42 women (84%); five women (10%) required hysterosalpingogram to show appropriate positioning. Two patients (4%) required laparoscopic tubal sterilization, and one patient (2%) was lost to follow-up.
Conclusion(s)
Transvaginal ultrasound is an acceptable method of confirming proper placement of the Essure® microinsert coil within the proximal fallopian tube 3 months after the procedure.